By Admin 
The supplementary voter list before the West Bengal Assembly elections has created a new storm in the politics of the state. The Election Commission released the first SIR Supplementary Voter List around midnight on Monday 23 March, but till now it has not been made clear as to how many names of voters have been added or removed, this uncertainty has intensified the war of allegations and counter-allegations between political parties.
In the final voter list released on February 28, about 60 lakh names were marked under adjudication. On the instructions of the Supreme Court, 705 judicial officers were appointed to review these cases. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Aggarwal had said that till now the decision has been taken on about 29 lakh names, while the process of remaining cases is going on.
Trinamool Congress raised questions
Trinamool Congress has raised serious questions on this process. Kolkata Mayor and Minister Firhad Hakim made the allegation. He said, ‘It has been seen that the names of about 40 percent people in Bhawanipur assembly constituency have been tampered. The Constitution gives us the right to vote and anyone who opposes the Constitution is against India. If the Election Commission is against India then we will approach the High Court and demand its removal, because it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure that every citizen gets the opportunity to vote.
Answer of BJP State President Sukant Majumdar
BJP state president Sukant Majumdar also said that this process is under judicial supervision. He said, ‘The supplementary voter list has been prepared under the supervision of the Supreme Court and officers appointed by the Kolkata High Court. At the strategic level, meetings are being held with Nitin Naveen on sector-wise plans. Limited workers are being called in these meetings and focus is being placed on specific areas and seats. BJP candidate Priyanka Tibrewal justified the list by saying, “Names do not change after midnight. Whether you see it in the morning or evening, the names remain the same. The fake voters who were added have now been removed. In a democracy, only legal voters have the right to vote, not illegal ones.”
electoral politics on voter list
Voters have been asked to download the booth-level list to check their status, but many have complained of technical glitches. Voters whose names have been removed have been given the right to appeal to the designated tribunal within 15 days. This ongoing dispute over voter list can make electoral politics more intense. On one hand, BJP is calling it ‘cleansing of fake voters’, while TMC is calling it an attack on democratic rights. Now everyone’s eyes are on the next step of the Election Commission. Only the final figures and the lists to be released will decide whether this controversy will stop or it will intensify the electoral battle. In view of the election atmosphere, security has been tightened across the state. Voting for the 294-member assembly is to be held on April 23 and 29, while counting of votes will take place on May 4.
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